Leo Lionni - Frederick

THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF
Copyright 1967 by Leo Lionni.
Copyright renewed 1995 by by Leo Lionni All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York. KNOPF, BORZOI BOOKS , and the colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lionni, Leo.
Frederick / by Leo Lionni.
Summary: Frederick the field mouse sat on the old stone wall while his four brothers gathered food for the approaching winter days. The other mice felt that Frederick was not doing his share of the work, but when the food ran out, Frederick saved the day with what he had gathered.
eISBN: 978-0-307-97450-1
[1.

MiceStories. 2. Picture books for children.]
I. Title. Random House Childrens Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read. In that wall, not far from the barn and the granary, a chatty family of field mice had their home. But the farmers had moved away, the barn was abandoned, and the granary stood empty. But the farmers had moved away, the barn was abandoned, and the granary stood empty.

And since winter was not far off, the little mice began to gather corn and nuts and wheat and straw. They all worked day and night. All except Frederick. Frederick, why dont you work? they asked. I do work, said Frederick. And when they saw Frederick sitting there, staring at the meadow, they said, And now, Frederick? I gather colors, answered Frederick simply. And when they saw Frederick sitting there, staring at the meadow, they said, And now, Frederick? I gather colors, answered Frederick simply.

For winter is gray. And once Frederick seemed half asleep. Are you dreaming, Frederick? they asked reproachfully. But Frederick said, Oh no, I am gathering words. For the winter days are long and many, and well run out of things to say. In the beginning there was lots to eat, and the mice told stories of foolish foxes and silly cats. In the beginning there was lots to eat, and the mice told stories of foolish foxes and silly cats.

They were a happy family. But little by little they had nibbled up most of the nuts and berries, the straw was gone, and the corn was only a memory. It was cold in the wall and no one felt like chatting. Then they remembered what Frederick had said about sun rays and colors and words. What about your supplies, Frederick? they asked. Close your eyes, said Frederick, as he climbed on a big stone.

Now I send you the rays of the sun. Do you feel how their golden glow And as Frederick spoke of the sun the four little mice began to feel warmer. Was it Fredericks voice? Was it magic? And how about the colors, Frederick? they asked anxiously. Close your eyes again, Frederick said. And when he told them of the blue periwinkles, the red poppies in the yellow wheat, and the green leaves of the berry bush, they saw the colors as clearly as if they had been painted in their minds. And the words, Frederick? Frederick cleared his throat, waited a moment, and then, as if from a stage, he said: Who scatters snowflakes? Who melts the ice? Who spoils the weather? Who makes it nice? Who grows the four-leaf clovers in June? Who dims the daylight? Who lights the moon? Four little field mice who live in the sky.